"It was hard times then, the Depression," stated the street vendor, Clyde "Kingfish" Smith, and he couldn't be more right. All of these interviews showed how life was during the time of the Depression, and there were only a rare few that came out positive at most. I found it apparent that hardly anyone liked their job, they were just doing what they could to get by. Besides the unique case of Alice Caudle, who claimed she was "born to work in a mill", everyone interviewed showed a strong distaste for their situation. And from all of the awful information I learned from these interviews, I cannot blame them. I saw it significant that every single person had their own individual outlook of the Depression and their own ways of dealing with things. The more fortunate, like housewife Mayme Reese, tried to ignore the catastrophes going on around her and focused on her quilting. She was not directly affected by this financial crisis, compared to the lows of other people and businesses, like the women of the lower classes. During the Depression, the women did more than ever before. They worked all sorts of jobs, most with a bleak outlook, like being more than a housemaid. "But my dear, it wasn't housework I did...I was a nurse maid or a second girl--never just an ordinary girl out to service," said Marie Haggerty, describing all of the extra duties she had to take on, during the Great Depression especially. Mrs. Elizabeth E. Miller also found herself doing men's work, like catching hogs for the family. But all of the newfound opportunities for women certainly did not overrule the treacherous work of the men during this time. Most of the jobs for the lower class citizens were extremely dangerous. "You ain't an Iron worker unless you get killed," Chris Thorsten boldly stated. But it was true; from the bridges of the iron industry to the stone-cutting dust and silica that Mr. Garavelli tried to avoid, nearly all of the occupations of the Great Depression posed some sort of life threat. However, these jobs, no matter how endangering, were the only chance of survival for all citizens hit by the Depression. There were things that you had to do, even if you would never even dream of doing them, like how Bernice of New York City had to become a rent part hostess. And to top off all of this hard, hard work, everyone was treated poorly. Jim Cole, a very experienced butcher who had been in the business for twenty years, was not let into the Union because he was African American. Ana Novak, who worked at the stockyards, couldn't get along well unless she let the boss degradingly slap her on the behind. From these interviews it was easy to tell that everyone got their fair share of cruelty during the Great Depression. Some made it easier by trying to lighten everyone's spirits, like Clyde "Kingfish" Smith and his 'Heighho, fish man, bring down you dishpan' songs, or Irving Fajans' Union messages on toilet paper rolls. Some tried to find equality in this situation, like the man at Colonial Park, who claimed, "They got all the money an I ain't got nothing, but they got to breath the same air I do." But many took the easier route, such as the man at Eddie's Bar, who continually focused on the negative. These interviews taught me about the hardships of the Great Depression and that if you have the right attitude, you can make the best out of any situation.
Throughout the Great Depression, people often had to experience difficult and dangerous work, which is described by Chris Thorsten. He was an iron worker who got hurt when he got squeezed between a crane. He broke his collar bone, all his ribs, and 3 vertebrae. Another example of the danger was how in stonesheds, many people ended up dying because of the silica. Mr. Garavelli was lucky enough to not have to mine any silica and spent his days mining granite, but he got out of the mine each day with his life. In addition, while some people were fired or laid off from their jobs during the depression, others kept their jobs and stayed there for years after. Workers unions started to form as well. Alice Caudle worked in a cotton mill and was very good at what she did. She mentions that if she had been a man, she would have gone far in life. Anna Novak had worked in the stockyards. She mentioned how when the union started to form, her workplace started to change more dramatically. They used to have to buy the foremen presents on the holidays, but when the union came, they didn't have to. Furthermore, Jim Cole had worked in a meat packing house in the part where they cut up the beef for 20 years. He had wanted to join the union, but since he was African-American, they wouldn't let him. Finally, Irving Fajans was part of the union for department store workers. Along with his coworkers, he left leaflets for the union scattered around the shop, but did this secretly because the boss would fire anyone who was caught doing it. The Great Depression was known for it's economic downturn. When a man at Colonial Park was asked if he thought rich people and poor people had anything in common, he said that God made them equally, but the only thing they had in common was that they breathed the same air. Bernice, along with many other people, often tried their best to make money and survive. She had rented out parts of her apartment for "Rent-Parties" in an attempt to make more money after her husband left her with no job. Also, Clyde "Kingfish" Smith tried singing while he was working to encourage people to buy his goods. He said that he sang to make the mood better, but he also sang about how he sold fish for 5 cents a pound. This encouraged people to buy more of it. Some people also just continued living like normal, and the didn't let the downsides of the Depression get the better of them. Mrs. Elizabeth E. Miller had to do men's work by cutting up a hog, Mrs. Marie Haggerty continued to work as a maid although she had to work harder to prove that she should keep the job, and Mrs. Mayme Reese continued to get together with her friends and had "quilting parties" where they all made quilts and entered them in the county fair. A man at Eddie's Bar was asked if he liked living in New York City, and he said that he was part of the city, but it had yet to become a part of his life. All of these interviews represent the tough times experienced throughout the Great Depression and how everyone had to do their best to survive.
Part 3 B:
In this interview, Mrs C. W. Higgins discussed instances in her overall life, beginning with the time she visited her friend Sallie Smith. She was a white female of an older age, reflcting on her experiences. The interview occured on December 17th, 1938 in Buskerville, Alabama. The interviewer was Marie Reese.
In this interview, done by Luther Clark, W. Leonidas Cockrell explains his past and life on the farm. He is a farm owner, and the interview is taking place on this farm off of Route 3 in Livingston, Alabama. On September 14th, 1938, the date of the interview, he was of a rather old age, his prime years behind him. His age is not specified, but he does mention that he is two years older than his neighbor. Cockrell is white, male, and has recently rented his farm to his only son, Frank, because he can no longer get around well due to the rheumatism in his feet.
The first interview was about Jesse Owens. He was an Olympic Winner who was named the fastest man in the world at the Berlin Olympics in 1936. He was an African-American man who was 26 at the time of the interview. He lived in Cleaveland, Ohio. The interview was conducted by Rhussus L. Perry on April 22, 1939 in Macon County, Ohio. The interview focused on Owens' exploits during the Olympics of 1936, in which he won 4 gold medals after defeating the German runner.
The second interview was about a man named Peter McDonald. His race and age were unspecified. The interview was conducted by Helen S. Hartley on October 7, 1938 in Mobile, Alabama. He went to Spring Hill College, and then eventually went to another college in Louisianna 5 years later. He had grown up without a mother, and his father died during his last year in college. He lived with his aunt and they were both very religious. At the time of the interview, he was delivering bread.
Oral Histories:
Part 3 A:
"It was hard times then, the Depression," stated the street vendor, Clyde "Kingfish" Smith, and he couldn't be more right. All of these interviews showed how life was during the time of the Depression, and there were only a rare few that came out positive at most. I found it apparent that hardly anyone liked their job, they were just doing what they could to get by. Besides the unique case of Alice Caudle, who claimed she was "born to work in a mill", everyone interviewed showed a strong distaste for their situation. And from all of the awful information I learned from these interviews, I cannot blame them. I saw it significant that every single person had their own individual outlook of the Depression and their own ways of dealing with things. The more fortunate, like housewife Mayme Reese, tried to ignore the catastrophes going on around her and focused on her quilting. She was not directly affected by this financial crisis, compared to the lows of other people and businesses, like the women of the lower classes. During the Depression, the women did more than ever before. They worked all sorts of jobs, most with a bleak outlook, like being more than a housemaid. "But my dear, it wasn't housework I did...I was a nurse maid or a second girl--never just an ordinary girl out to service," said Marie Haggerty, describing all of the extra duties she had to take on, during the Great Depression especially. Mrs. Elizabeth E. Miller also found herself doing men's work, like catching hogs for the family. But all of the newfound opportunities for women certainly did not overrule the treacherous work of the men during this time. Most of the jobs for the lower class citizens were extremely dangerous. "You ain't an Iron worker unless you get killed," Chris Thorsten boldly stated. But it was true; from the bridges of the iron industry to the stone-cutting dust and silica that Mr. Garavelli tried to avoid, nearly all of the occupations of the Great Depression posed some sort of life threat. However, these jobs, no matter how endangering, were the only chance of survival for all citizens hit by the Depression. There were things that you had to do, even if you would never even dream of doing them, like how Bernice of New York City had to become a rent part hostess. And to top off all of this hard, hard work, everyone was treated poorly. Jim Cole, a very experienced butcher who had been in the business for twenty years, was not let into the Union because he was African American. Ana Novak, who worked at the stockyards, couldn't get along well unless she let the boss degradingly slap her on the behind. From these interviews it was easy to tell that everyone got their fair share of cruelty during the Great Depression. Some made it easier by trying to lighten everyone's spirits, like Clyde "Kingfish" Smith and his 'Heighho, fish man, bring down you dishpan' songs, or Irving Fajans' Union messages on toilet paper rolls. Some tried to find equality in this situation, like the man at Colonial Park, who claimed, "They got all the money an I ain't got nothing, but they got to breath the same air I do." But many took the easier route, such as the man at Eddie's Bar, who continually focused on the negative. These interviews taught me about the hardships of the Great Depression and that if you have the right attitude, you can make the best out of any situation.Throughout the Great Depression, people often had to experience difficult and dangerous work, which is described by Chris Thorsten. He was an iron worker who got hurt when he got squeezed between a crane. He broke his collar bone, all his ribs, and 3 vertebrae. Another example of the danger was how in stonesheds, many people ended up dying because of the silica. Mr. Garavelli was lucky enough to not have to mine any silica and spent his days mining granite, but he got out of the mine each day with his life. In addition, while some people were fired or laid off from their jobs during the depression, others kept their jobs and stayed there for years after. Workers unions started to form as well. Alice Caudle worked in a cotton mill and was very good at what she did. She mentions that if she had been a man, she would have gone far in life. Anna Novak had worked in the stockyards. She mentioned how when the union started to form, her workplace started to change more dramatically. They used to have to buy the foremen presents on the holidays, but when the union came, they didn't have to. Furthermore, Jim Cole had worked in a meat packing house in the part where they cut up the beef for 20 years. He had wanted to join the union, but since he was African-American, they wouldn't let him. Finally, Irving Fajans was part of the union for department store workers. Along with his coworkers, he left leaflets for the union scattered around the shop, but did this secretly because the boss would fire anyone who was caught doing it. The Great Depression was known for it's economic downturn. When a man at Colonial Park was asked if he thought rich people and poor people had anything in common, he said that God made them equally, but the only thing they had in common was that they breathed the same air. Bernice, along with many other people, often tried their best to make money and survive. She had rented out parts of her apartment for "Rent-Parties" in an attempt to make more money after her husband left her with no job. Also, Clyde "Kingfish" Smith tried singing while he was working to encourage people to buy his goods. He said that he sang to make the mood better, but he also sang about how he sold fish for 5 cents a pound. This encouraged people to buy more of it. Some people also just continued living like normal, and the didn't let the downsides of the Depression get the better of them. Mrs. Elizabeth E. Miller had to do men's work by cutting up a hog, Mrs. Marie Haggerty continued to work as a maid although she had to work harder to prove that she should keep the job, and Mrs. Mayme Reese continued to get together with her friends and had "quilting parties" where they all made quilts and entered them in the county fair. A man at Eddie's Bar was asked if he liked living in New York City, and he said that he was part of the city, but it had yet to become a part of his life. All of these interviews represent the tough times experienced throughout the Great Depression and how everyone had to do their best to survive.
Part 3 B:
In this interview, Mrs C. W. Higgins discussed instances in her overall life, beginning with the time she visited her friend Sallie Smith. She was a white female of an older age, reflcting on her experiences. The interview occured on December 17th, 1938 in Buskerville, Alabama. The interviewer was Marie Reese.
In this interview, done by Luther Clark, W. Leonidas Cockrell explains his past and life on the farm. He is a farm owner, and the interview is taking place on this farm off of Route 3 in Livingston, Alabama. On September 14th, 1938, the date of the interview, he was of a rather old age, his prime years behind him. His age is not specified, but he does mention that he is two years older than his neighbor. Cockrell is white, male, and has recently rented his farm to his only son, Frank, because he can no longer get around well due to the rheumatism in his feet.
The first interview was about Jesse Owens. He was an Olympic Winner who was named the fastest man in the world at the Berlin Olympics in 1936. He was an African-American man who was 26 at the time of the interview. He lived in Cleaveland, Ohio. The interview was conducted by Rhussus L. Perry on April 22, 1939 in Macon County, Ohio. The interview focused on Owens' exploits during the Olympics of 1936, in which he won 4 gold medals after defeating the German runner.
The second interview was about a man named Peter McDonald. His race and age were unspecified. The interview was conducted by Helen S. Hartley on October 7, 1938 in Mobile, Alabama. He went to Spring Hill College, and then eventually went to another college in Louisianna 5 years later. He had grown up without a mother, and his father died during his last year in college. He lived with his aunt and they were both very religious. At the time of the interview, he was delivering bread.